Private Partners (Doctors in Training 2)

He could see the nerves in her darkened eyes, in the lines around her mouth, in the taut set of her shoulders, but she gave a little nod. “I’m getting there. Not immediately, of course. I still think it would be best to wait until after Step 1. But maybe before that July vacation together. What do you think?”

His stomach clenched again and his skin felt clammy. His physical reaction was a bit stronger than he might have expected, but he tried to keep his expression composed when he asked, “I’ll be filming then, but I can probably take a little time to join you here if you think the time is right to break the news to your parents. But are you really sure you’ll be ready for that right before you begin your third-year rotations?”

Though she looked nervous at the prospect, she gave a little shrug. “I could deal with it. Probably. I’d just tell my parents that I don’t have time for family drama. If I tell them they’re interfering with my studies, I’m sure they’d back off. Their biggest fear is that I’ll wash out of medical school, so they wouldn’t do anything to upset me overly much. Probably.”

Which all sounded well and good, but he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Besides, she wasn’t the only one who would have to deal with her family once their marriage was no longer a private one.

“I’m pleased that you want everyone to know about us,” he assured her, though a tiny, accusing voice inside him whispered that he lied, making him feel like a jerk. “But we shouldn’t make any rash decisions. We need to think this through before we do anything we can’t take back. You know, make sure it’s the right time, and that we’re both ready to go public.”

Her eyes darkened. “I’m tired of the lies, Liam. It just gets so frustrating.”

“I know, babe. But the main problem is, you’re just tired. You’re running on fumes, and this is totally the wrong time to set yourself up for more problems. Let’s just wait until summer, okay? It’s not that much longer.”

She studied his face with narrowed eyes. “You make it sound as if you aren’t in any hurry at all to tell anyone. Is it because of your career? Or are you actually content to go on the way we have been?”

Good questions, he acknowledged. And he had no real answers for her. Because he hadn’t been expecting her to suddenly suggest they announce their marriage, he hadn’t really thought about when they would get around to making their announcement. “I just think it’s a bad time for you, Annie. Focus on your studying for now, and we’ll deal with everything else when you’re got the worst part behind you.”

She shrugged. “Fine. If that’s what you prefer.”

She picked up her computer again and settled it in her lap. “I guess I should get back to my studies.”

“Anything I can do to help? Want me to quiz you?”

“No, thanks. I have a lot of reading to do today.”

He nodded and pushed himself off the arm of the couch.

He hadn’t handled that very well, he thought as he moved slowly toward the office. It seemed to him as though a light had gone out in Anne’s eyes that had been there when they’d awakened this morning. Maybe it was just the reminder of all she had to do within the next few months.

Or maybe, he thought with a hard knot in his chest to match the one in his stomach, she had been hoping for something from him that he hadn’t quite known how to offer her.

“I never had a chance to ask—how was your weekend?” Haley asked when she and Anne finally had a chance to speak in private Monday. It had been a very busy morning filled with classes and other obligations and neither of them had even had time for a lunch break. Anne had offered Haley a lift home because Haley had taken the bus to the campus that morning. Haley had eagerly agreed, giving them an opportunity for a brief chat session during the short drive to Haley’s apartment.

“It was fine,” Anne replied, keeping her eyes on the traffic ahead of her. “I got a lot of reading done for this week’s classes. How was yours?”

“Not bad. Kris and I went out Saturday night. We saw a movie, had a few drinks. It was fun.”

Anne glanced sideways toward her passenger. “You really do like him, don’t you?”

Haley shrugged. “Like I said, he’s a nice guy and he makes me laugh. If you’re asking if I’ve started falling for him yet, the answer is no, not really. If he never called again, I wouldn’t stew about it. As busy as we stay, I’m not sure I’d notice for a few weeks.”

Anne wondered if Kris was as casual about the relationship as Haley. He seemed to be awfully patient and persistent for a man who was only an occasional companion.

“What about you?” Haley asked. “Did you and Liam do anything interesting?”

Anne thought she should probably be amused by the exaggerated stealth of Haley’s tone—as if anyone else could hear them in her car. Yet, she found little to laugh about in the situation. “We went out Friday night, after the exam. We had a very nice dinner, then went to that Irish pub in North Li

ttle Rock for drinks and dessert afterward.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“Yes, it was.”

“You needed that. Just like I needed to go out Saturday night.”

Anne nodded. “I wore my new dress. The one I bought when you and I went shopping.”

“Oh, the coral one. It looked great on you. Did Liam like it?”